Balsamic vinegar 101: From drinks to desserts

Place the ice in 4 tall, pint-sized glasses. Pour 1-1/4 cups of sparkling water and 1 tablespoon of Balsamic vinegar into each glass and stir. Top with a lemon twist and serve.

Boil the Balsamic vinegar and sugar in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler. Melt the butter in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Cook the steaks to desired doneness, about 3 minutes per side for medium-rare.

Transfer the steaks to a baking sheet. Crumble the cheese over the steaks and broil just until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with pepper.

Transfer the steaks to plates. Drizzle the Balsamic sauce around the steaks and serve.

In a 13x9x2-inch baking dish, whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to blend. Whisk in the oil. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate, turning the chicken pieces occasionally, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Roast the chicken uncovered until just cooked through, about 45 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a serving platter. Carefully pour the cooking liquid into a small heavy saucepan and spoon off the excess oil from atop the cooking liquid. Boil until the liquid reduces by about half and thickens slightly, about 8 minutes.

Pour the sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle the parsley and lemon over the chicken, and serve.

With a very sharp knife, cut the peel and white pith from the oranges. Cut between the membranes to release the segments.

Whisk the vinegar, crème fraîche, and sugar in a heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat until it thickens and resembles chocolate sauce, about 8 minutes.

Arrange the orange segments and strawberries decoratively on dessert plates. Drizzle the warm balsamic sauce over the fruit and serve. Alternately, the Balsamic sauce can be served at room temperature and spooned over the fruit.